West Street Plaza and the downtown plaza in front of city hall are getting much needed landscaping updates with more drought-tolerant landscaping.
The landscaping on West Street Plaza was done 20 some years ago but much of it had become overgrown and was not fire safe. The large junipers were covering the benches and blocking the view of the river. The city removed the overgrown junipers, some dying alberta spruce, a mulberry tree that came up as a weed and an elm that came up as weed that was ruining some concrete. They preserved the native and higher value species such as mountain mahogany, two needle pinyon pine, a jeffrey pine, red twig dogwood, and a nice crabapple. They also kept the beautiful shade trees on the east and west sides of the plaza that are doing really well and cast some lovely shade.
Two council members allocated a total of $10,000 in council donation funds to update the landscape.
The goal for the landscape refresh is a vibrant pollinator garden that is also a good example of a waterwise and fire safe landscape. Cameron Cox, a landscape designer who specializes in natural landscapes in Truckee and who is currently studying landscape architecture at TMCC has graciously volunteered to help design the update. Cameron also works with One Truckee River on updates to Broadhead Park. She also does volunteer work at the biggest little dog park in downtown where she is working to cultivate the soil with biological amendments and pesticide free organic treatments and the results are stunning. The city's goal is a very natural but vibrant looking landscape that frames the view of the Truckee River from 1st street. You can find some renderings below.
The real reason their doing this is to get rid of homeless problem. They removed the grass so homeless have nowhere to lie down. I used lay down on the grass to do my exercises. Please tell the truth.